Far Caspian - Autofiction

On his third album ‘Autofiction’, Joel Johnston – the Irish-born, Leeds-based artist behind Far Caspian – sounds like he’s finally learning to exhale. Not in a dramatic, life-altering way, but with the quiet relief of someone starting to make peace with his own noise.

‘Ditch’ opens things gently, sparse and patient, eventually building into something bruised but cathartic, a soft jolt of purpose to start the record. It gives way to ‘First Day’, which picks up the pace and spins sunshine from introspection. There’s a breezy, feel-good charm that feels classic, a distant cousin of Phoenix or The Shins, and it carries across much of the album’s 12 tracks.

This isn’t a project concerned with reinvention. Instead, ‘Autofiction’ leans into the kind of warmth that was abundant in late-00s indie, as though it should be sharing a bill with Mystery Jets, Bombay Bicycle Club et al. The title-track is tender and affectionate, a love song as subtle as it is sincere. Elsewhere, ‘Window’ and ‘Lough’ are washed in atmosphere – never too eager to impress, but always quietly effective.

One of the standouts, ‘Here Is Now’, captures the album’s appeal best. With its hopeful lyrics and gentle melodies, it finds Johnston embracing vulnerability without losing his composure. It’s a soft hymn to resilience, anchored in the idea that things might just be okay.

There’s a clear emotional through line to the record, rooted in Johnston’s own experiences of living with Crohn’s disease and anxiety. Rather than wallowing, though, these songs search for light, often landing on small comforts – a partner’s voice, a long drive, the feeling of starting over. The lyrics are diaristic and literal, with Johnston ditching metaphors in favour of direct honesty. “Your mind changed from a fear to a song,” he sings on ‘Lough’, and it’s as much a thesis for the album as anything else.

‘Autofiction’ doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. It’s heartfelt, thoughtful, and, above all, kind to itself. Sometimes, being a nice time is enough.